mammary discrimination

I know I should blessed and lucky. I have more than the proverbial handful. But why oh why do clothes designers not consider the fact that real women are not stick-life waifs a la Sienna, or a certain British model who shall remain nameless as I am so fed up with her (just for the record, it's not big, it's not clever and it sure as heck ain't cool). We have hips! And thighs! And breasts godammit!!

It's frustrating sometimes. My students used to be envious of my figure (hah! fools!) and say "segoi"(a Japanese expression of amazement) a lot. Yet I bet they all have no problem buying clothes.

I think dresses are probably the worst. The natural assumption of designers seems to be big of breast = big of stomach. While I admit that perhaps I have a (slightly deflating, hurrah) spare tyre around my middle, it doesn't mean I want to look like I'm wearing a sack, or worse a tent. But to get a dress which fits up top, I have no choice. It's frustrating.

I know skinny girls complain about being bullied and picked on for their wee frames; indeed recently a colleague told me about a girl we know who is trying to gain weight following a not-very-nice comment made by another girl about her size. And I too have been guilty of passing comment that so-and-so model needs to eat a good hamburger, or 13. But I bet skinny girls don't have as much trouble buying clothes. I bet they don't ever look like they are wearing sacks when trying on that nice dress they've been lusting over.

I don't blame the skinny girls though. I blame the fashion industry which dictates that the ideal woman should be skinny, have no hips, and be so flat that the wall is jealous. Yet can still drink a pint and eat meat, to please her man (if we buy into that whole ideology sold in men's magazines like Nuts and FHM. No wonder men are so confused.)

Respect to Dove, with their "real women" campaign. Look, their models have hips! They have thighs! And lord above, check out their curves! No doubt the campaign is the brainchild of another disillusioned real woman.

So where have we gone wrong? If you take the argument that our ideals come via mass media, let's examine the sources. Women's magazines - as an avid reader (I like a bit of trash every now and again), I feel it's safe to say that they all pretty much sell the same ideology. At the end of the day, women are meant to look good, be clean, smell pretty, be whores in the bedroom. Yes, every now and again they dare to break with convention and publish an article about how it's ok not be a skinny minnie. Yet then feel it necessary to publish an article in the next issue about the latest celebrity diet. Sorry, did the advertisers complain?

Movies - women will ultimately be conquered by men. No matter how "feisty" or independent they appear, by the end of the movie, the shrew will be tamed. (Notice how the 'feisty' ones always wear tight, pvc-esque cloting and heels? Indulging some producer's warped view of the world?) And they always seem capable of having at all - the perfect relationship, kids, job, house, everything. I challenge them to live as a single mom on benefits in inner London. Good luck maintaining the gloss.

It's no wonder women are so confused. On the one hand, we're being bombarded with 'role models' and messages that we must look good and subordinate our characters to please our men while at the same time being ecouraged to have it all and be independent. It's no wonder that eating disorders and depression are on the rise when we are constantly being told that we're not skinny/pretty/curvy enough.

And a final message to designers. Make some clothes for real women - those that have hips and breasts. Don't discriminate against us just because we don't fit the ideal. We are the target consumer at the end of the day.